Young adult suicide rates are rising in California
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The young adult suicide rate increased in California and most U.S. states from 2014 to 2024, a new analysis finds.
Why it matters: The numbers underscore the toll of the country's mental health crisis, which rages on even as the Trump administration cuts funding for programs designed to help vulnerable groups, including LGBTQ+ kids.
Driving the news: The suicide rate for U.S. adults ages 18-27 increased nearly 20% between 2014 and 2024, rising from 13.8 per 100,000 people to 16.4, per a new analysis of CDC data from Stateline, a nonprofit newsroom.
- The increase came as Gen Zers entered that age range and millennials left it, and it was driven largely by Black and Hispanic men, especially in the South and Midwest.
- With 550 deaths in 2024, the young adult suicide rate was 10.7 per 100,000 people in California — a 10% increase from 2014.
What they're saying: "Theories behind the increase range from bullying on social media — since Gen Z was the first generation to grow up with the internet — to economic despair to cultural resistance to seeking help for depression," per Stateline.
Zoom in: San Diego County's Mobile Crisis Response Teams expanded to schools in 2024, providing thousands of students suicide risk assessments and interventions in an effort to combat rising youth suicide rates.
- In August, the San Diego Foundation awarded $500,000 in grants to local organizations to expand access to mental health care services for kids.
The big picture: The young adult suicide rate increased the most in Georgia (+65%), North Carolina (+41%), Texas (+41%), Alabama (+39%) and Ohio (+37%).
- The rate decreased in a few states, including North Dakota (-39%), Vermont (-37%) and Delaware (-34%).
Go deeper: Firearms are now involved in most youth suicides, per a separate report from anti-gun violence group Everytown, based on data through 2023.
What's next: Many states have mental health programs, but some use federal money that's drying up or at risk of disappearing under the Trump administration's broader spending cuts.
If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, call or text theNational Suicide Prevention Lifeline at988. Ayuda disponible en español.